Mermaid Hair is the Hottest Trend for Summer 2016

This summer, we’re hoping the beach is in your future. But whether you’re on the sand soaking up the ocean views, or looking at it on your screen saver, we have the hottest, beach inspired hair trend that summer 2016 has to offer: MERMAID HAIR. That’s right- long, flowing, dynamic, sexy, carefree, freaking gorgeous mermaid hair. Whether you go on the creative side with the wild ocean inspired color, or go simple sexy with irresistible flowing waves, this summer is all about emulating the sirens of the sea. Read on for how to incorporate mermaid hair into your everyday style.

Cut

With the whipping waves and raging winds, mermaid hair is anything but perfect. That’s why a haircut should be more relaxed with movement rather than shaped to perfection. To achieve this look, go for a haircut that has been point cut or razor cut for a textured effect. A textured haircut creates a look that is more “lived in” as the ends are more shattered and blended rather than straight and blunt.

This look works great for long layers as well as shaggy bobs and even modern pixie cuts. Textured haircuts add volume as well as enhance the natural curl. A haircut is your first step to achieving sexy and effortless mermaid hair.

Style

We’ve all heard of beach waves. The beach wave is a timeless look that isn’t going anywhere, and is definitely one way to have mermaid inspired hair this summer. But another summer look that’s hitting the salons this summer is the mermaid wave. The mermaid wave is the cross between bouncy Victoria Secret curls and a relaxed beach wave.

To create the look, start with day old hair, or be sure to spray with a dry shampoo to get more of a lived in look. Divide your hair in three halo horizontal parts, clipping up the top crown section and the middle section around the ears out of the way. Starting with the bottom section, wrap your hair around a curling wand around a 1-2 inch barrel curling iron without using the clamp. (The clamp creates more of a ringlet curl instead of the waved effect we’re going for.) Curl in half inch to inch wide vertical sections, depending on the density of your hair. Next, curl the middle section. In the top section, tease hair at the roots and begin the curl about 6 inches away from the root, so that the top portion is straight and voluminous.

Run your fingers through the waves and mist with your fave hairspray for a mermaid wave that’s perfect for a day at work or night out for drinks.

Color

The soft flowing layers and the effortless waves are both elements of the mermaid look we love, but our favorite has to be the gorgeous, vibrant color that’s making an appearance on women’s hair worldwide. Mermaid coloring is a cross between ombre and dip dye with a gradual transition from natural color with a blend of ocean inspired hues. Many hair stylists are achieving the effect with a specialized technique called fluid hair painting. With fluid hair painting, a stylist uses a table to fan out hair and paint it on a flat surface, creating a “fluid-like” diffused color. For a bolder look, you can do an all over dark base in a purple or blue, fading to lighter colors, but you can also opt for a more subtle look with ocean inspired hues kissing the ends. Keep in mind that bold colors need to be retouched more often to keep their vibrancy. Talk to your stylist about a color that’s manageable for you.